Two European countries set heat records
Austria and Slovakia recorded their highest temperatures since meteorological records began on Wednesday, August 5, as an extreme heatwave continued to grip Central Europe, disrupting river transport, water supplies, and energy production, Deutsche Welle reported.
According to Austria’s national weather service, GeoSphere Austria, the temperature reached 41.2 degrees Celsius in the town of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg in Lower Austria. In Slovakia, a new national record of 41.4 degrees Celsius was registered in Kamenica nad Hronom, near the Hungarian border, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.
Austria’s capital, Vienna, had already set a new national record on Tuesday when temperatures reached 41 degrees Celsius.
The prolonged heat and drought are increasingly affecting both people and infrastructure across the region. In Austria, several communities are facing water shortages, while low water levels on the Danube and other rivers have led to the partial suspension of river navigation. The national weather service also warned of “extreme heat stress,” particularly for vulnerable groups.
The heatwave is also causing significant disruptions in neighboring countries. In Hungary, the Paks nuclear power plant has almost completely scaled back operations due to the low water level of the Danube. In Slovenia, the Krško nuclear power plant announced it would reduce electricity production to 80% because of the reduced flow of the Sava River, with further reductions possible if conditions worsen.
In Slovakia, navigation on the Danube was temporarily suspended on Monday after falling water levels exposed an anti-ship mine dating back to World War II.
Europe has been experiencing a prolonged period of extreme heat and drought this summer, causing water levels in major rivers to drop sharply. In addition to disrupting inland shipping and electricity generation, authorities in several countries have warned of increasing risks to water supplies and public health, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Photo: Chat GPT
